It will be so sad to stop working with you guys but it’s been so great, you guys are seriously the best! All the drop zones have said how easy you were to work with and how RAD you both are. Thanks for everything!
Brooke Grundy, Marketing Manager, Skydive Australia
The festive season has well and truly hit and despite the sweltering heat the Young Tourism Network and the Australian Tourism Export Council stole the show at this year’s annual pre-Christmas meetup. The news of Tourism Australia’s $10mill global youth campaign was undoubtedly one of the hottest conversation topics.
“It’s fantastic to be here and mingle amongst such a diverse group of industry professionals,” explains director Saxon, “from local providers to government to national and international tourism organisations, everyone’s having a good time. Promoting youth travel? We’ve been scheming all night!”
Since Rat & Dragon‘s first project in Australia with THL in September 2014, the team have been commissioned to shoot and edit over 40 film projects around the continent, from Darwin to Tasmania, Port Douglas to Wollongong, Perth to Broome and a lot in between.
To celebrate this incredibly diverse country with its deserts, waterfalls, rainforests, oceans, cities, grasslands, canyons and ever dramatic skies, Rat & Dragon have created a unique concept piece showcasing not only Australia’s vast visual diversity but its unique soundscapes.
“Birds and plants and wind and ambience sound so different here”, explains director Saxon, “our sound designers have done an incredible job at capturing Australia, a place like nowhere else on earth. Honestly, just ask that kangaroo over there!”
The Rat & Dragon production studio now offer custom animation, illustration and bespoke titles to give projects that extra bit of stand out uniqueness.
Film projects including Skydive Australia, THL Britz & Mighty and Hot DesQ pitches have seen clients jump aboard for their very own hand drawn and digital artwork. RaD explains: “we love bringing shots to life on even more levels and are really excited about what the upcoming season holds in store.”
A heartfelt twist to a story of division, The Wall is Rat & Dragon‘s latest narrative short project. Shot on location in Melbourne’s iconic Fitzroy, The Wall takes viewers to a world so far away yet so close at heart.
“We’ve been running test shoots with a variety of gear and locations whilst we nut out the finer visual story elements,” explains director Saxon. “Shooting around a creative hub like Fitzroy is heaps of fun”.
In preparation for the long Australian summer, the Rat & Dragon team has been commissioned to shoot two summer spirit films for self-drive experts THL.
The team will be shooting around the sunshine state Queensland all the way down to world famous Byron Bay. “Expect lots of chilled out scenes, dreamy slo-mo, lens flare, natural beauty and a hump back whale or two,” producer Nicola tells us about the team’s 10th film for THL. “QLD and Northern NSW are incredibly beautiful areas, we’re very happy to be shooting them again.”
Check out R&D’s other films for THL, such as the Mighty Aussie Road Trip and Mini Kiwi Road Trip, which have been viewed collectively over 20,000 on youtube.
Continuing Downsizer‘s international festival circuit, the short, sharp and violent comedy will screen at the world famous Chinese Theatres in Hollywood this August.
“We’re thrilled with Downsizer’s audience reception so far”, explains producer Nicola. “It’s going to be great to screen in LA, a city that a lot of our friends and colleagues call home. California, it’s fantastic to be back.”
Don’t miss out on a ticket for the festival that is this year held between the 11th and 20th of August, head to www.hollyshorts.com
Makes me so appreciative and happy with the content you have created. Its real step forward for Stray.
Antonia Elliot, Marketing Manager, Stray Travel Ltd.
Pickup shots are in the can and production has officially wrapped on one of Rat & Dragon‘s most involved projects to date.
“Shooting a designated film for each of Skydive Australia‘s drop zone around the country the size of Europe and for a very weather-dependent sport has been hectic,” explains director Saxon, “but our teams on the ground and in the air have made incredible things happen.
We’re always excited about working with skilled and passionate professionals who are doing what they love. Skydive has been no exception, we can’t wait to work with the camera fliers and support team again.”
